Tail wheel lifting adapter for fork type tail wheels



R. E. DAHL 2,362,991

TAIL WHEEL LIFTING ADAPTER FOR FORK TYPE TAIL WHEELS Nov. 21, 1944.

2 Sheets-sheaf; 1

Filed Sept. 29, 1943 NOV. 21, 1944. DAHL TAIL WHEEL LIFTING ADAPTER FORFORK TYPE TAIL WHEELS Filed Sept. 29 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r? V :F .A r:LH

g Q m i aiented Nov. 21, 1%44 UNITED TAIL WHEEL IJFTING ADAPTER, FORFORK TYPE TAIL WHEELS Raymond Earl Dahl, United States Navy ApplicationSeptember 29, 1943, Serial No. 504,249 6 Claims. (or. 214-55) (Grantedunder the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G.757) This invention relates to lifting devices for the tail wheel orskid of airplanes and it has a particular relation to devices forlifting the tail wheel so as to raise the fuselage to a flight positionand to hold the airplane against movement during machine gun practice atthe gun firing butts while grounded.

Th principal object of this invention is the provision of a cage orhousing adapted to be re-' movably secured to the finger lift of amobile carloader such as the commercially available Clark carloader, andwhich may be positioned thereby beneath and in engagement with the tailwheel of an airplane so as to elevate the tail end of the fuselage. Thedevice may also be used for towing an airplane while on the ground.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shownin the accompanying drawings, means for carrying the invention intopractical effect, without limiting the improvements in their usefulapplication to the particular. construction which for the purpose ofexplanation has been made the subject of illusitration.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tail wheel lifting device mounted onthe finger lift of a carloader and holding the tail end of an airplanein an elevated flight position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the lifting deviceshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the lifting device as viewedfrom the front;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with parts broken away of the structure shown inFig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 ofFig.4.

Referring to the drawings, an airplane tail wheel lifting deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention is shown comprisinga base plate or support l having a rectangular recess or slot Ii formedin its forward edge midway of its length. Welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the ends of the base plate l0 on opposite sides of the recessH are two housings or box-like structures 12 whichmay be fabricated froma plurality of fiat plates or from sections of a channel bar. Thesehousings are open at their front and rear ends and are adapted to beslid onto the fingers or arms l3 of the lifting mechanism Id of acarloader l and maintained against displacement therefrom by stud bolts16 dropped through drilled holes in the outer ends of the fingers l3.

Welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the base plate In adjacent to therear end of the recess ll therein i a forwardly facing cage or wheelretaining hood I! provided with side walls l8 and rear wall i9 formedwith a forwardly curved upper portion 20. A gate-bar 2! is pivotallysecured at one end to the base plate It! forwardly of the cage l1 and atone side of the recess H by a bolt 22 engageable with an eye 23 formedon the bar 2|. This bar is adapted to be swung across the recess II andsecured in position by a pin 24 engageable with an eye 25 formed in theother end of the bar and with a drill hole formed in the base plate I0.

In operation a carloader l5 having the improved lifting device mountedon the forward ends of the lifting fingers l3 of its elevating mechanismI4 and with these instrumentalities lowered is maneuvered to a positionat the tail end of an airplane wherein the tail wheel 26 thereof isdisposed within the recess H in the base plate or support Ill and inabutting engagement with the rear wall I9 01' the cage H. The gate bar2! is then swung to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and securedby the pin 24. This securely locks the tail wheel 28 within the cage H,the gate bar 2|, rear wall I9 and curved upper wall 20 preventing anyvertical or longitudinal movement and the side walls l8 of the hoodtogether with the side edges of the recess ll preventing any lateralmovement. The elevating mechanism l4 of'the carloader I5 is then placedin operation to raise the tail wheel 26 and after end 21 of the fuselageinto a flight position wherein the guns of the airplane can be trainedupon the targets at the firing butts during ground practice. The weightof the carloader will prevent any rearward or lateral movement of thetail end of the airplane and dispenses with the services of fourteen ormore men according to the size of the airplane.

The device herein shown and described may beadapted for use with tailwheels or the fork type as well as with airplanes equipped with tailskids.

In addition to this primary function, the present I invention can beemployed as a quickly attachable towing connection, for use in movingthe airplane about the field. 1

It will be understood, as previously stated that the above descriptionand accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferredembodiment of the invention and that various changes in construction,proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims without sacriilcingany of the advantages of theinvention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. A lifting device for airplane tail wheels comprising a support, meanson said support for removable engagement with the elevating arm of acarloader, a cage on said support for movement by said carloader intoengagement with the tail wheel of an airplane and engaging side, back,and top portions of the wheel for preventing upward, rearward andlateral movement of said 'tail wheel relative thereto, and means on saidsupport for movement into position forward of said tail wheel forpreventing forward and a into position forward of said tail wheel forpreventing the displacement or said tail wheel from said cage.

3. A lifting device for airplane tail wheels comprising a support, apair of spaced tunnel members fixed to said support and adapted to beslid over the ends of the elevating fingers of a carloader, a hood fixedto said support for movement by said carloader around and over the tailwheel of an airplane. and means pivotally mounted on said support formovement into the path of travel of said tail wheel for preventing themovement of said tail wheel out of said cage.

4. A lifting device for airplane tail wheels comprising a supportingplate having a recess formed in its forward edge, means fixed to saidsupporting plate on each side of said recess for removable engagementwith the elevating fingers of a carloader, a hood fixed to saidsupporting plate and extending upwardly and over said recess formovement by said carloader into a position about the tail wheel of anairplane, and locking means on said supporting plate for movement intothe path of travel of said tail wheel to prevent the movement of saidtail wheel from beneath said hood.

5. A lifting device for a wheeled vehicle comprising a substantiallyhorizontally disposed supporting plate having a slot extending inwardlyfrom one edge, the width of the slot being such that a wheel can beinserted therein, and the length of the slot being such that the wheelcan be inserted to such a depth that the axis of the wheel is over saidplate; and a removable gate bar operable to close the end of the slotand support a wheel of the vehicle from below when said supporting plateis raised.

6. The device described in claim 5, and including a hood having verticalwalls substantially bounding the end and side portions of said slot, theend wall having its upper end portion curved towards the slotted end ofsaid supporting plate to overlie the top of the vehicle wheel andprevent the wheel from rising out of the slot.

RAYMOND EARL DAl-Hl.

